the goan I network
MARGAO
In a tight spot after Fomento offered to hand over the Sonsodo waste treatment plant to the civic body and with the court giving a week’s time to take a call on taking over the facility, the Margao Municipal Council on Friday resolved to knock the doors of the government to guide and advise the municipality on how to go about the emerging situation.
As far as the waste lying inside the treatment plant, the MMC resolved to explore the possibility of storing it at the landfill site, before requesting the GWMC contractor to carry out remediation as per the prevailing rate.
Besides the government, the municipality will also approach the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to bail out the civic body as the municipality has just seven days time to put an alternative in place at Sonsodo after Fomento’s exit.
At an emergency meeting of the council chaired by acting chairperson Tito Cardozo on Friday, city fathers were unanimous in their opinion that the civic body should immediately send an SOS to the government, GWMC and GSPCB to help it tide over the situation.
The city fathers pushed the ball in the court of the government to take a call on the question whether the civic body should immediately take over the operations at Sonsodo or should allow the Goa Waste Management Corporation to make its presence felt at the site. Given that the civic body has just a couple of days more to take over the waste treatment facility, councillors cutting across party lines called upon the Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar to immediately call on the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant along with his technical team to help guide the civic body.
The Chief Officer underlined the need to take immediate measures at the plant given that the waste treatment facility is choked with mounds of waste. Panchwadkar told the councillors that one way to solve the problem inside is to either store the waste on the landfill site or remediate it by asking the contractor to do so on the same terms and conditions set by the GWMC. “This will give us some breathing space to dump the daily waste in the waste treatment plant,” the Chief Officer said.
While outlining the various measures initiated by the civic body to resolve the Sonsodo imbroglio, including setting up of three bio-methane plants, additional baling machines etc, but admitted that it will take at least three-four months to put these measures in place.
Former Chairperson Arthur D’Silva, Doris Texeira and councillors Rupesh Mahatme, Damu Naik and others all demanded that the MMC protect the interests of the municipality. They wondered why there was a delay on the part of the council to act on the contentious issue.
Acting chairperson Tito Cardozo conceded that the municipality has limited options as well as time at its disposal to deal with the emerging situation, adding that the MMC will immediately convey the council resolution to the government for advice and guidance.
Inquiry demanded into voucher spending
the goan I network
MARGAO
Demands for an inquiry into the vouchers as well as the purchase of plastic bags to collect dry waste rent the air at the special meeting of the Margao Municipal Council on Friday.
Former MMC Chairperson Arthur D’Silva led the councillors in demanding a probe into the vouchers as well as the purchase of plastic bags to stack dry waste.
Arthur pointed out that the councillors should know the amount of money spent by way of vouchers in the last five years as reports are doing the rounds of the civic body that municipal funds were spent recklessly.
Acting chairperson Tito Cardozo assured the agitated members that Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar has promised to provide all the information on the vouchers as well as the procurement of plastic bags by spending lakhs of rupees.
The Chief Officer assured the city fathers that they can have a glance at the report on vouchers as well as the amount of money spent on the plastic bags.
The demand for an inquiry by the councillors assumes significance as reports are doing the rounds that amount was spent on flower bouquets, tender coconuts, mobile accessories, tea and snacks.
